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Wildfire near Yosemite exploded in size overnight and Bay Area firefighters have been called to assist. Kris Sanchez reports. (Published Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2013)

Updated at 4:02 PM EDT on Thursday, Aug 22, 2013

National Air Guardsmen took off from Moffett Airfield in Mountain View in the hopes of gaining control of several wildfires raging in the Yosemite area - spots that are popular with many Northern California residents trying to enjoy their last week or two of summer vacation.

East Bay Firefighters Help Battle Rim Fire Near Yosemite

A total of 22 firefighters from cities in Alameda County were dispatched to help out with the Rim Fire in Yosemite, which, as of Wednesday morning, was 5 percent contained and had spread to 16,000 acres. Christie Smith reports. (Published Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2013)

That crew from the 129th Air Rescue Wing joined other firefighters across the state to battle what's been dubbed the Rim Fire - a wildfire that broke out Saturday in the Stanislaus National Forest area just outside Yosemite.

It exploded in size overnight. As of Wednesday, the fire was 5 percent contained and had spread to more than 16,000 acres or 25 square miles, which is basically the same size as the city of Gilroy.

Camps Evacuated due to Yosemite Wildfire

Bay Area visitors evacuate from three camps as out-of-control wildfire burns near Yosemite. The California National Guard is among the crews helping to put out the Rim Fire. Christie Smith reports. (Published Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2013)

An advisory evacuation order was posted for all of Pine Mountain Lake Wednesday afternoon.

Nearly 900 personnel were sent in to battle the blaze.

Firefighters Remain on High Alert Under Red Flag Warning

Firefighters on Tuesday battled several blazes in the region and will stay on high alert while the Bay Area remains under a red flag alert. Terry McSweeney reports. (Published Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2013)

The destructive wildfire is threatening some 2,500 structures, which forced the shutdown of a highway into Yosemite National Park.

Rare Lightning Lights Up Bay Area Skies

A four mile stretch of State Route 120 is closed in both directions, blocking traffic in and out of Yosemite on its west side, though the park remains open.

Two homes and seven outbuildings have burned.

Wednesday afternoon update:

The north end of the fire has crossed the Clavey River and is burning in remote and steep terrain. The north end is not threatening any structures at this time. Due to inaccessible, steep terrain and active fire behavior a combination of direct and indirect attack will be used on this incident. The fire burned actively with a southward spread of the fire over Highway 120. Direct line suppression efforts are impeded by difficult access and steep inaccessible terrain. A combination of direct and indirect attack will be used on this incident. Active fire behavior today raises safety concerns for crews adjacent to the fire’s edge. Smoke exposure within the deep drainage of the Clavey River will be an issue for fire crews as well.

There are 10 major wildfires burning in California, and the Rim Fire is among the largest. A total of 22 firefighters from cities in Alameda County were also dispatched on Tuesday from Livermore to help out.

"The weather is not cooperating, and it's relatively unfriendly terrain," said Alameda County Fire Special Operations Chief Rob Schnepp. "This is growing in intensity."

Several camps were evacuated Tuesday as a safety precaution. Those include: San Jose Family Camp, Berkeley Tuolomne Camp, San Francisco's Mather Camp, and Camp Tawonga. All are within five miles of the Rim Fire.

Camp Tawonga sent out emails and Facebook posts telling people there was no immediate risk to the camp property, where a large black oak tree fell in July and killed a counselor in a separate tragic accident this summer.